Washing-machine.



G. A. WOLTER.

PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 15,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 51- ZQO 2 z' 7 l5 6 l6 2 W 67 la 10 No. 784,825. v PATENTED MAR. 14, 1905.

' G. A. WOLTER.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15,1904. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES Patented March 14, 1905.

GUSTAV A. IVOLTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,825, dated March 14, 1905.

' Application filed June 15, 1904. Serial No. 212,719.

1'0 (0/17 w/tnm it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAv A. W OLTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ashingdVIachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to washing-machines, and has for its object to provide a simplified and improved machine of this class wherein but a single pair of rolls are required and wherein the machine proper is disconnected from the tub and may be employed with larger or smaller tubs, according to the size and amount of work to be performed.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-- Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the complete machine, with the tub in cross-section. Fig. 2 is a similar view in a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1, with parts of the frame in section and other parts broken away; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view through one of the tensioning devices for the upper roll.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates each of four skeleton uprights constituting supporting-legs of the frame, to the upper ends of which are secured by bolts 6 short posts 7, in and between the upper ends of which latter are supported a pair of parallel horizontal bars 8, constituting the immediate supporting members for the rolls of the machine and their operating devices. Across and between the bars 8 and approximately centrally thereof is journaled a shaft 9, on one overhanging end of which is secured a multiple-arm crank 10, in the outer ends of the arms of which are mounted handles 11. Secured to and depending from the under sides of the bars 8 are a pair of elongated U-shaped brackets 12, in the lower ends of which is journaled the spindle 13 of the lower and larger squeezing-roll 14. Mounted on cross-bars 15, between the side members of the brackets 12, are a pair of upright cylinders 16, the upper ends of which are fitted into vertical apertures in the bars 8, as shown in Fig. 3. Extending axially through each of the cylinders 16, as well as the overlying bar 8 and the underlying cross-bar 15, is a rod 17, supported at its upper end by a wing-nut 18, the lower ends of said rods 17 carrying journal-bearings 17 for the spindle 19 of the smaller and upper squeezing-roll 20. Fast on each of the rods 17, within the cylinder 16, is an abutment-disk 21, on which is stepped the lower end of a coil-spring 22. The roll 20 is suspended in its lowest position, so as to lie in contact with the lower roll 14 when the machine is idle. The bars 8 are conveniently braced intermediate their ends by a curved cross-bar or yoke 23, the ends of which may, as shown in Fig. 3, terminate in short vertically apertured posts 23, externally threaded at their lower ends to engage the internally-threaded upper ends of the cylinders 16, and constitute abutments for the upper ends of the springs 22, said posts also receiving the upper ends of the rods 17.

To prevent the clothes when passed between the rolls from curling upwardly and becoming more or less wound around the upper roll, it has in many machines heretofore employed been the practice to provide auxiliary rolls on either side of the main squeezing rolls as guides. By my invention I obviate the necessity for such auxiliary guide-rolls through the provision of a pair of guides or scrapers herein shown as consisting of a pair of thin bars 24, preferably made of or edged with rubber, which may conveniently be secured at their ends to the outer sides of the brackets 12, with their lower edges lying lightly against or in close proximity to the periphery of the roll 20 on either side of the latter.

The lower roll 14 is positively driven from the shaft 9 by means of a large gear 25, fast on said shaft back of the crank-spider 10,n1eshing with a smaller gear 26, fast on the spindle 13 of the lower roll. v

27 designates a tub of a suitable size and shape to receive the rolls, which tub may be supported within the outer framework of the apparatus on a bench 28 or other suitable support, both the tub and bench being readily removable when the machine is not in use.

In operation the tub having been partially filled with water or suds and the clothes having been introduced thereto the latter are introduced successively to the nip of the rolls, and by turning the crank-spider in the proper direction the clothes are drawn through and between the rolls, with the results usual in this class of machines. As the clothes pass between the rolls any tendency on their part to curl up and wind about the upper roll is resisted by the deflecting-scrapers 24. The upper roll 20 is yieldable vertically to accommodate different thicknesses of material pass-' ing between it and the lower roll, and the springs 22 exert a constant downward pressure upon the material to effect the desired squeezing effect upon the latter.

The entire apparatus is simple, light, easily constructed and operated, and readily portable, the legs 5 being foldable to overlap each other on their hinges 6.

Changes and modifications in respect to details may be made in the above-described apparatus without altering its essential characteristic or lessening the advantages secured thereby. Hencel do not limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described except to the extent indicated in specified claims.

I claim- 1. In a washing-machine, the combination with a supporting-frame having a pair of parallel horizontal cross-bars, of brackets depending from said cross-bars, a squeezing-roll journaled in the lower ends of said brackets,

yielding-1y-supported journals suspended from said cross-bars above said roll,an upper squeezing-roll mounted in said yieldingly-supported journals, an operating-shaft journaled on said cross-bars, and driving gears between said operating-shaft and said first-named roll, substantially as described.

- 2. In a washing-machine, the combination with a supporting-frame and a pair of squeezin grolls rotatably supported thereby, of means for driving one of said rolls, and a guide or scraper mounted to, lie against the periphery of the upper roll to prevent winding of the clothes therearound, substantially as described.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination with a supporting-frame having horizontal cross-bars, of brackets depending from said cross-bars, a lower squeezing-roll journalecl in the lower ends of said brackets, a yieldingly-mounted upper squeezing-roll, manually-operable means for driving said lower roll and a scraper-bar secured at its ends to said brackets and engaging by its lower edge the periphery of said upper roll, substantially as described.

GUSTAV A. WVOLTER.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERICK (I. GooDwIN. 

